The Strawberry Hill House Flower Festival 2024

A couple of weeks ago, I had the pleasure of participating in the Strawberry Hill House Flower Festival.

The brainchild of Janne Ford and Leigh Chapel, this festival is a glorious celebration of British flowers, grown and artfully arranged within the historic rooms and grounds of Horace Walpole’s Strawberry Hill House.

With its gothic architecture, extravagant design, and vivid colors, it’s easily one of the most beautiful locations I’ve had the opportunity to display my work.

Over 30 florists from across London and the UK gathered to showcase their creativity under the theme Nature Unbound. Thanks to Leigh and Janne’s meticulous curation, the festival felt like a dream house, displaying the best of British floristry, from seasonal blooms to, like my own work, dried flowers.

The room I was fortunate enough to be given was the Green Closet. This is an intimate room adorned with emerald green wallpaper and featuring a painting of Horace Walpole by the legendary artist Hogarth.

 In keeping with my own artistic philosophy that is rooted in Wabi-sabi— (the Japanese appreciation for transience and the beauty in imperfections)—my display was inspired by nature’s untamed potential. Growth, is wild and free. A broken vase transforms into art, with dried flowers cascading naturally from its newly formed cracks, challenging traditional notions of beauty and celebrating the imperfect.

It is both abundant and paired back with the choice of flowers. Seasonal dried buttercups, blush toned statice and whirling vines

 

Photography by Anne Schwarz @thewildbackyard